Complaint #202303867,
September 29, 2022

Officer: Cekic, Denis
Complainant: Black Male, 30-34
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Threat to damage/seize property
CCRB Conclusion: Substantiated (Command Discipline B)
Officer: Cekic, Denis
Complainant: Black Male, 30-34
Allegation: Discourtesy: Word
CCRB Conclusion: Substantiated (Command Discipline A)
Officer: Cekic, Denis
Complainant: Black Male, 30-34
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Threat of force (verbal or physical)
CCRB Conclusion: Unable to Determine
Officer: Rusi, Edgar
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Frisk
CCRB Conclusion: Substantiated (Command Discipline A)
Officer: Rusi, Edgar
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Stop
CCRB Conclusion: Within NYPD Guidelines
Officer: Cekic, Denis
Complainant: Male, 30-34
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Gun Drawn
CCRB Conclusion: Unable to Determine
Officer: Travis, Daniel
Complainant: Black Male, 30-34
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Vehicle search
CCRB Conclusion: Substantiated (Command Discipline A)
Officer: Rusi, Edgar
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Failure to provide RTKA card
CCRB Conclusion: Substantiated (Command Discipline A)
Officer: Rusi, Edgar
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Search (of person)
CCRB Conclusion: Unfounded
Officer: Cekic, Denis
Complainant: Black Male, 30-34
Allegation: Force: Gun Pointed
CCRB Conclusion: Unable to Determine
Officer: Cekic, Denis
Complainant: Black Male, 30-34
Allegation: Abuse of Authority: Vehicle stop
CCRB Conclusion: Unable to Determine
Officer Complainant Allegation CCRB Conclusion
Cekic, Denis Black Male, 30-34 Abuse of Authority: Threat to damage/seize property Substantiated (Command Discipline B)
Cekic, Denis Black Male, 30-34 Discourtesy: Word Substantiated (Command Discipline A)
Cekic, Denis Black Male, 30-34 Abuse of Authority: Threat of force (verbal or physical) Unable to Determine
Rusi, Edgar Abuse of Authority: Frisk Substantiated (Command Discipline A)
Rusi, Edgar Abuse of Authority: Stop Within NYPD Guidelines
Cekic, Denis Male, 30-34 Abuse of Authority: Gun Drawn Unable to Determine
Travis, Daniel Black Male, 30-34 Abuse of Authority: Vehicle search Substantiated (Command Discipline A)
Rusi, Edgar Abuse of Authority: Failure to provide RTKA card Substantiated (Command Discipline A)
Rusi, Edgar Abuse of Authority: Search (of person) Unfounded
Cekic, Denis Black Male, 30-34 Force: Gun Pointed Unable to Determine
Cekic, Denis Black Male, 30-34 Abuse of Authority: Vehicle stop Unable to Determine

Conclusion Meanings:

'Substantiated': The misconduct occurred and it violated the rules. The NYPD has discretion over what, if any, discipline is imposed.
'Unable to Determine': The alleged conduct was investigated but could not determine both that the conduct occurred and that it broke the rules.
'Unfounded': Evidence suggests that the event or alleged conduct did not occur.
'Within NYPD Guidelines': The conduct occurred but did not violate the NYPD's own rules, which often give officers significant discretion.

Further details on conclusions.


Penalties

Travis, Daniel
Command Discipline - A
Command Discipline - A (Vacation: 1 day)

Cekic, Denis
Closed: Retained, with discipline, March 29, 2024
APU Closed: Retained, with discipline
Forfeit vacation 5 days

Rusi, Edgar
Command Discipline - B
Command Discipline - B (Vacation: 1 day)

Summary

On September 29, 2022, at approximately 7:53 PM, [redacted] was sitting in his vehicle with an unidentified friend when Police Officer Denis Cekic and Police Officer Darren Jean of the 32nd Precinct and Police Officer Edgar Rusi, now assigned to Narcotics Bureau Manhattan North but formerly of the 32nd Precinct, pulled up behind them. The officers exited their vehicle, with PO Cekic and PO Rusi approaching the front driver's side door, where [redacted] friend was sitting, and PO Jean approaching the front passenger side door, where [redacted] was sitting. [redacted] recognized PO Cekic from an incident earlier in the year at an unknown date and time when he allegedly stopped [redacted] vehicle, drew his gun, and pointed it at him (Allegations A-C: Abuse of Authority and Force: [redacted] was not arrested during this incident.
On September 29, 2022, PO Rusi then stopped [redacted] friend and asked for his ID (Allegation D: Abuse of Authority, [redacted] provide his ID to PO Rusi. PO Rusi then asked [redacted] friend did not friend to exit the vehicle and frisked him (Allegation E: Abuse of Authority, [redacted] PO Rusi allegedly searched [redacted] friend (Allegation F: Abuse of Authority, [redacted] PO Cekic walked to the front passenger side of the vehicle, where he ordered [redacted] to exit the vehicle. PO Cekic asked for his phone, to which he responded that he needed to call his wife so she could pick up his seven-year-old son, who was in the vicinity. PO Cekic told [redacted] "Give me the phone or I'm going to break it, give me the fucking phone before I break it" (Allegations G and H: Abuse of Authority and Discourtesy, [redacted] Further, PO Cekic allegedly told "I'll break your hand" (Allegation I: Abuse of Authority, [redacted] PO Cekic then handcuffed [redacted] and detained him in a police vehicle. Sergeant Daniel Travis of Patrol Bureau Manhattan North arrived on the scene and searched [redacted] vehicle (Allegation J: Abuse of Authority, [redacted] All officers then left the scene. PO Rusi did not... Read report for details.


Details

Incident: September 29, 2022
Received: May 3, 2023
Closed: November 2, 2023
Last Updated: June 1, 2024

Reason for contact: Parking violation
Location: Commercial building
In NYPD 32nd Precinct Manhattan
Outcome: Arrest - other violation/crime

Witness Officers: Darren Jean, Daniel Martinez, Charlie Ruizreyes
Body-Worn Camera evidence collected